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Community Comes Together To Support Bartender Shot On Christmas Day

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The recovery continues for a Baltimore man robbed and shot while walking home early Christmas morning.

On Sunday night, a benefit to help with his medical expenses was held in his honor at Tin Roof Bar at Power Plant Live. Hundreds of people were expected to attend this concert with a cause.

It's not uncommon for a song to tell a story. On this night, the story is told in more notes that anyone could imagine.

"He's a rarity of a human being that can change and influence a lot in a short amount of time," says Matthew Collins,  band member and friend to Jason Pierce.

Pierce, who's a local musician, was shot while walking home Christmas morning.

"It was like a punch in the gut; it stopped everything. I was shaking for 30 minutes. I felt like I was like losing a brother," says Collins

So on Sunday night, the love for Pierce, who is now recovering is expressed in a musical benefit lasting 12 hours, with 15 bands and an auction. It's all with hopes of raising enough money to lessen the worry of medical expenses for their friend Jason.

"It's amazing to see how much the community wants to help out and how much they are willing to donate, and everything they want to do to help out Jason," says Derrick Osborne, General Manager of Tin Roof, where the event was held and where Jason was a bartender.

"Besides him and having another conversation with him again, it's been one of the greatest things seeing the community that came out," says Collins.

Jason is out of the hospital and was unexpectedly able to stop by the benefit for a few minutes before returning to get some rest.

Organizers say they had so much support from people wanting to help, they could have made the benefit a week-long event.

To contribute to the GoFundMe page for Jason CLICK HERE.

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